CM’s Guide To Study Abroad: Paris

From classes and culture all day to wine-and-dining all night, a semester abroad in Paris has so much to offer. After you’ve worn out your travel guide and have seen the Eiffel Tower every time you take a walk, submerse yourself in the city of love and lights with these student tips on what not to miss.

Go to the Movies

“I think this is the most underrated ‘attraction’ in Paris. It was my favorite because not only do you practice listening comprehension (which skyrocketed for me while I was there), but I also got a feel of the culture especially in the political sense. French films are completely different from American ones because movies are somewhat of a mirror of culture. This was a big part of my cultural immersion while abroad.”

-Carla Stachurski, Junior, New York University

Find a Hidden Restaurant

“My friends and I discovered Le Refuge des Fondues, a tiny restaurant in charming Monmartre. Graffiti signatures decorate the walls that snugly enclose wooden tables, which you must climb over to get to your seat. (Don't wear a dress.) Appetizers tease you as steam clouds from the fondue pot. The food is tasty, but the drink is more fun. Wine here is served in glass baby bottles. The strange tradition began long ago when the restaurant figured out a way to evade a tax on drinks sold in certain containers. The tax didn't last, but the baby bottles stuck.”

-Ruth Michel, Senior, University of Florida

Try Some Wine

“Perhaps one of the cooler things I did in Paris this past fall was going to this wine-tasting course. It wasn't all that expensive and turned out to be quite fun. We got to drink a few glasses while listening to some French guy go on about where different types of wine come from and what ‘Champagne’ really is. Although I'm far from a connoisseur, the experience was well worth the 25 euros and was a great self-gift for my 21st birthday.”

-Steve Avila, Dartmouth University

Live Like a Local

“During one weekend, when it was especially nice and sunny, my friends and I picnicked on the side of the Seine. We brought towels to sit on and made sandwiches and drank wine— it was so great. Another one of my favorite things to do was get off at a metro stop and just explore the surrounding neighborhood on foot. I really like Canal Saint Martin. There are really funky thrift stores and cute cafés.”

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